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This has been good stuff. I wanted to inquire with the group, to help avoid wasting money on too many experiments. I will be taking my boots with me to sportmans this week and trying some stuff out. I need to keep an open mind about replacing my boots if needed. They are really light, but not a super rigid boot.

Boot choice depends on the area you are hunting. I wear the Lorpen midweight wool socks year round for work or easier hunts with whatever boots fit the day's activities. I really like those socks for normal use. For lots of walking I like the Cabelas Ingenius socks and either Danner Pronghorn or Cabelas Meindel Alaskan Hunter boots depending on the severity of the terrain. I carry a light cheap pair of slipper style moccasins also for around camp. I hate to pack unnecessary ounces and am a stickler for weighing every item on my postage scale, but these still seem worth it. I've considered aquasocks or other options but the point is to let my feet breath and dry so the rubber sole leather moccasins let plenty of air in and around the foot. My current ones weigh 12.3oz each according to my postage scale, so I am in the market for lighter ones if anyone has any suggestions. I hate the weight but like the way my feet hold up this way and dry. I usually have to use the restroom a time or two at night and like having the mocs to slip out in. As was mentioned earlier hiking poles are popular for a reason too, especially packing meat they can really help.

Guy Eastman's foot care clips on YouTube were pretty good. I saw them posted a while back. Best thing for me is keeping the abrasion down in the boot in all the ways mentioned in his clips. Going up and down hills and then adding weight with a pack can increase the abrasion factor similar to pushing down on sandpaper when trying to sand more surface away. Abrasion and slippage in the boot is when I get blisters at least. Switching out socks and keeping an extra pair when I have a backpack on for me helps a lot. It also helps to remind me to check my feet more often to find potential problem spots before they become blisters.

Hey everyone. I was talking with my brother this past weekend about foot care. He is a SF Medic and had a few suggestions. He said if you have a history of Hotspots or getting blisters no matter what boot you wear try putting 1.5 " Leukotape on those areas before blisters or hotspots start. He said this tape will stay in place even with moisture. He said to make sure you cover a larger area than what is effected. The most important part is to keep your feet dry, Wear good socks, and change socks if they start to get damp especially with heavy packs. Just thought some may be interested.

I mark on a calendar about 2 months out and clip my toenails and clip every 2 weeks. I try to clip about a week before the hunt so my toe nails are at optimum length, not to long to dig in the front of the boot and not to short to maybe be sore for a day or two. This sounds a little wierd but sore feet can screw up a good hunt. In the field if it is not to cold I take my shoes off and give my feet a rest during lunch. Set them down wind for obvious reasons !

Over the years I have spent a small fortune on good boots but the best thing I have found is ...tape. Tape them up good, wear good smart wool or synthetic material socks lase them up good and hike all day...everyday.

Are you talking 2-3 weeks out in the field, or will you be heading in for a night here and there? I think most of the advise above is good, the problem I see you might have is packing enough socks to change them consistently over that period of time. A dirty sock is almost as bad as a wet one, once they have been soaked with sweat and oil they loose their ability to protect your foot from abrasion. You might have to come up with a way to wash your socks in the field. You should be able to accomplish this in any stream; you probably don't need detergent but at least a good soak and hand washing.